Treasury Silver

Lord Williams of Elvel: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their plans for the future of the Treasury's silver items formerly associated with the Privy Council.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Treasury has agreed to transfer the items concerned to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This will ensure that the cost of holding them is borne by the department whose objectives include broadening access for all to a rich and varied cultural life. That department will lend them to the Victoria and Albert Museum on condition that they are shared with appropriate regional institutions. The transfer will ensure that the items are available to public view for the first time in many years.

Maritime Auxiliary Service

The Earl of Mar and Kellie: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the purpose of the Maritime Auxiliary Service; and in which locations it operates.

Lord Bach: The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS), part of the Warship Support Agency, provides a wide variety of marine services to the Ministry of Defence and other customers, with the major customer being the Royal Navy. It provides navigation and mooring buoy maintenance; support to military exercises and training worldwide; coastal and European armament freighting; oceanographic data acquisition system (ODAS) maintenance for the Met Office; and trial and exercise support at certain UK ranges.
	The RMAS is a civilian manned organisation with a central mooring depot and headquarters at Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, a base at Kyle of Lochalsh, Rosshire and small support bases within Portsmouth and Devonport naval bases.

TA Intelligence Specialists

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Territorial Army intelligence specialists called out into service last February are to be replaced, and if he will make a statement.

Lord Bach: As a result of the significant increase in intelligence work following the events of 11 September, the need to augment the Defence Intelligence Staffs and other headquarters organisations by some 55 reservists continues. It is therefore necessary to call out compulsorily a second tranche of intelligence specialists to relieve the majority of those called out last February who now wish to resume their civilian employment. The individuals involved in the second tranche will primarily come from the Territorial Army, but a small number will also come from the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. They will commence their appointments in mid-August. We recognise the essential contribution made by these reservists to the operations against global terrorism and are grateful to them, their families and their employers for their support.

Veterans Agency: Targets

Lord Bruce of Donington: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What key targets have been set for the Veterans Agency for financial year 2002–03.

Lord Bach: The key targets that have been set for the chief executive of the new Veterans Agency for 2002–03 are as follows:
	Service
	Key Target 1: To reduce the average time it takes to issue decisions on claims to war pensions to no more than 82 working days. This is an improvement of eight working days on the agency's 2001–02 target; and it represents a cumulative improvement of 18 per cent against its 2000–01 baseline level of 100 working days.
	Key Target 2: To reduce the average time it takes to issue decisions on war widow(er)s claims to no more than 34 working days. This is an improvement of two working days on the agency's 2001–02 target; and it represents a cumulative improvement of 5 per cent against its 2000–01 baseline level of 36 working days.
	Key Target 3: To achieve an externally validated claims accuracy rate of at least 95 per cent.
	Personnel
	Key Target 4: To carry out an externally validated programme of internal IiP assessment during 2002–03 to determine whether the agency continues to meet the requirements of the IiP standards.
	Working in Partnership
	Key Target 5: To work with the Lord Chancellor's Department's Court Service to reduce the average time it takes an appeal to pass through the war pensions appeals process. By 31 March 2003 the average time should reduce to no more than 310 working days. This is an improvement of 198 working days on the agency's 2001–02 target; and it represents a cumulative improvement of 45 per cent against its 2000–01 baseline level of 565 working days.
	Efficiency
	Key Target 6: To develop a methodology for costing agency outputs to provide the baseline to measure any future years' business efficiencies.

Disability Rights Commission

Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ensure that the Commission on Disablity Rights is not merged with bodies engaged in other subjects.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government's consultation paper Towards Equality and Diversity, published in December 2001, set out our proposals for implementing the EC Employment and Race Directives. We also stated that we saw arguments in favour of a single statutory commission in the longer term. Following this, we announced on 15 May a project to look at the feasibility of, and options for, creating a single equality commission for Great Britain.
	This work is under way and we are listening to the views of all stakeholders and considering them carefully. No decisions have been taken. We will set out our view on the feasibility of a single commission, as well as the outcome of the consultation on implementing the Article 13 directives in the autumn.

Disability Rights Commission

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have received on reports that the Disability Rights Commission is to be merged with other statutory agencies created to combat discrimination; and what replies they have sent.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government's consultation paper Towards Equality and Diversity, published in December 2001, set out our proposals for implementing the EC Employment and Race Directives. We also stated that we saw arguments in favour of a single statutory commission in the longer term. Following this, we announced on 15 May a project to look at the feasibility of, and options for, creating a single equality commission for Great Britain.
	We have received a number of representations in response to Towards Equality and Diversity and following the announcement on 15 May that specifically refer to the Disability Rights Commission. We are listening to the views of all stakeholders on
	this issue and considering them carefully. No decisions have been taken, and we will set out our view on the feasibility of a single commission, as well as the outcome of the consultation on implementing the EC directives in the autumn.

Lamb Exports to France

Lord Willoughby de Broke: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action has been taken to ensure that British lamb exports to France are not illegally blocked by the French Government.

Lord Whitty: Both Ministers and officials are continuing to emphasise to the French authorities the very considerable importance of complying with EU rules on sheep SRM. We are also in touch with the European Commission about this issue.
	The Government will continue to argue strongly for the cancellation of the French proposals banning spinal cords of animals aged between six and 12 months which provide no significant consumer protection benefit and are widely regarded as a disproportionate measure. Any further restrictions on sheep SRM must be agreed at Community level, not imposed unilaterally by member states. That is the way to maintain consumer confidence across Europe. It also ensures a level playing field for all member states regarding trade.
	Nonetheless, there is encouragement in France's recent decision to postpone these measures for six months. This shows that our arguments are having an effect.

Foot and Mouth Disease Report

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the lessons learned on the foot and mouth inquiry will publish its report.

Lord Whitty: We understand that the report of Dr Iain Anderson's Foot and Mouth Disease Lessons Learned Inquiry is now expected to be published on Monday 22 July.

Young Offender Institutions: Educational Provision

Baroness Hilton of Eggardon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have responded to the Howard League report on the education of school aged children in prison, and if so, what action has been taken.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: We are investing £40 million between 2001–02 and 2003–04 in enhancing education and training delivery to juveniles in young offender institutions. This follows a root and branch audit of provision carried out during 2001. These resources will allow for the development of High quality, individualised programmes for all learners, with a level of support appropriate for young people with a diverse range of needs. Key developments include:
	purpose-built learning centres;
	a literacy and numeracy strategy developed specifically for young people serving detention and training orders;
	enhanced staffing, including a new senior post of head of learning and skills in each establishment and the appointment of special educational needs co-ordinators and learning support assistants on a ratio of one assistant for every 10 prisoners';
	an entitlement of 30 hours education and training and personal development activity for each young person per week;
	challenging re-engagement targets to ensure gains made in custody are consolidated post-release.

Young Offender Institutions: Educational Provision

Baroness Hilton of Eggardon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they support the Howard League recommendations that teachers working in the juvenile prisons should be qualified to work with students with special educational needs.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: We are committed to ensuring that the needs of all learners in prisons are met. Under the new specification for learning and skills for juvenile offenders, teachers working in juvenile prisons will be expected to have or gain the qualifications they need to be able to deliver the curriculum to a high standard and to ensure all the learning needs of the young people in their care are met.
	As part of our investment programme we are funding special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCO) backed by learning and support assistants in each young offenders institution.

Teachers

Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What incentives are in place to attract good experienced teachers from the independent schools sector into maintained schools.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: No incentives are designed specifically to attract teachers away from the independent sector. All qualified teachers who enter or re-enter the maintained schools sector will benefit equally from the improvments to the pay and working conditions of teachers that her Majesty's Government's reforms are bringing about.

Historical Manuscripts Commission

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make an announcement on the future of the Historical Manuscripts Commission in the light of the Chipperfield Report.

Baroness Blackstone: I am pleased to announce today the publication of the report into the review of the functions carried out by the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (HMC) by Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield.
	The Government accept the key recommendations of the report and as a result of consultations with the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission, I am able to announce that the Government intend to establish a new body, the national archives. This will bring together functions relating to public and private records in order to serve the nations's archives in a more efficient and effective way. It will also enhance access by Members of the public to this uniquely rich national resource. The new body will report to the Lord Chancellor.
	To help facilitate the establishment of this new body, my department has agreed to provide additional investment to enable the HMC to upgrade the National Register of Archives.
	I am arranging for copies of the report to be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

Brixham Marina

Lord Corbett of Castle Vale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What annual or other inspections, independent of the operator, have been carried out by which authorities or agencies to confirm that Brixham marina and its wave screen (operated and managed by Marina Developments Ltd) comply with its design and build specifications.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: I understand from Torbay Council that prior to installation the operators were required to undertake a detailed technical analysis, including wave testing of the proposed installation, to ensure it had an appropriate design life, would be adequate for the conditions it was to function in and would achieve a suitable level of wave attention. Under the terms of its lease, MDL is the responsible body for its inspection and maintenance. No inspections of the installation have been carried out by Torbay Council. The council is however undertaking a review of its arrangements for inspection under health and safety legislation following the introduction of new requirements by the HSE earlier this year and this will lead to a new risk assessed regime.

Government Consultancy Contracts

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the cost of external public relations and consultancy contracts entered into by Government departments for each of the years 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01; and what is their estimated cost for the current financial year.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: This information is not held centrally. In November 1999 the Treasury published a Statement of Best Practice on the use of consultants in government. This represents a set of principles that should apply to many areas of consultancy but is not binding on departments and has no status in law.